Chapter 150
Academy’s Gumiho is a Magic Genius – Chapter 150
Negotiations didn't require any haggling.
For some reason, as long as I stayed within reasonable bounds, it felt like I held the position of power.
I realized this right around the time my demands were accepted.
[Your submitted proposal has been established.]
[The other party is reviewing the proposal...]
...
[The contract is established according to the proposal.]
Huh?
'It's actually going through?'
I'd made the contract heavily in my favor, just in case.
And they're agreeing to this?
Are they sane?
'Doesn't seem like it.'
The moment the contract formed, it began to take effect.
This world apparently intended to fulfill the simpler demands first.
It stripped away the source of the overwhelming omnipotence surging through my body.
[Trait, "Conditional Sword Saint" has been ni.]
[You can no longer borrow the power of your true .]
One trait vanished from my status window.
The consequences were far more immense than I'd imagined.
"...It hurts."
My muscles lost their strength.
My honed willpower began to scatter bit by bit.
It felt like lead weights were piled on my body; my movements grew sluggish.
The pain I'd briefly forgotten due to adrenaline crashed over me like a tsunami, seizing my nervous system.
I couldn't feel anything but agony.
'I've been pushing my body way harder than I thought.'
No wonder my lifespan is so short.
Now I understood why I died young.
With a body that already had a limited lifespan, personally putting it through all sorts of hell like this.
The limits were approaching far too quickly.
It was a stark realization, hitting me viscerally through my body.
But where there's loss, there's gain.
This contract favored me greatly, so.
A reward greater than the pain awaited me.
[Your demands total three conditions.]
[First demand: 100 points (P) granted!]
[Points (P) can be used immediately.]
100 points.
Just a tenth of the initial 1,000 the system mentioned, but honestly, it was plenty.
Points weren't the main issue in this contract anyway.
The second and third demands were the real crux.
'Now, let's see how well they honored my demands.'
I was fully prepared to throw a fit if they skimped.
With that in mind, I read the next message that popped up.
[Second demand: "Rosario of Holy Radiance" granted!]
[Original relic from an outer dimension!]
[Pro barrier to protect the original .]
The message devolved into garbled text at the end.
Many words were broken, making it hard to read, but the moment a fitting weight settled in my palm.
I couldn't care less about the rest.
"This... fits me perfectly. Even the unique energy in the nicks and cross is identical."
In this world... such a beautiful accessory exists.
Hey, put it on. Can't you tell that's a holy relic? A lingering spirit like me. Even demons and evils would be half-exorcised the moment they touch it.
Something dropped into my hand from thin air.
It radiated holinessa pair of earrings shaped like small crosses, nothing short of miraculous.
Rosario of Holy Radiance (Rosario)
Rank: Legendary
Description: Processed into earrings from the rosario worn by the saint [Holy Mother] who yearned for fewer suffering souls in the world, and the Sword Saint's rosario. The earrings accompanied the Sword Saint until the moment he saved the world, earning a place in legend. They exert full power as a pair; wearing only one applies partial effects.
*Cause and Effect Reversal
Reverses the cause and effect of wounds and injuries. Deviates causality based on the origin of the activating body part, manifesting irrational miracles. Requires substantial stamina and mana in exchange.
For specific targets, it induces unilateral favoritism beyond trades or equal exchange, which may sometimes lead to misfortune.
*Holy Ward Manifestation
Infuse a set amount of mana to manifest a holy ward protecting the target from physical attacks and all other assaults. The ward's range does not exceed 20m; reuse requires one moment.
*Holy Nail Embodiment
Manifests the holy nail that bound the saint. The nail rejects and restrains those of high virtue and prestige. Length: one chuk (, 23~30cm).
*Impurity Exorcism
When purging the unclean, suppresses and crushes their power. Intensity grows with the target's filth. Their purge becomes an offering to the Holy Mother and a memorial for her.
"It wasn't originally this loaded with powers."
Damn it.
Why is it so long and complicated?
The original rosario had no abilities or powers.
If anything, its meaning was that it was one of the gifts from my teacher and completed the pair as her legacy.
Nothing more.
It shouldn't have been.
'Did the system grant additional abilities based on the rosario's inherent history?'
I considered it, but the likelihood was low.
Whatever the system was.
Given how it tried to strip my full power, these were probably innate.
Which meant.
'I only learned the true value of my teacher's relic after going through the system and status window.'
What a disaster.
No disaster like this.
Even if I excused not knowing because I cherished her rosario as a memento, mitigating circumstances or not.
The other one was a gift.
Received long before she passed, around my 18th birthday.
'...Put them on first and think later.'
Self-recrimination can wait.
I have things to do now.
I hung the pair of rosarios on my ears.
The earrings I'd worn for stats and defense got tossed into my ring's subspace.
"Beautiful glow, no matter when I look."
Cross-shaped rosarios.
Most people call them prayer beads and wear them as necklaces or bracelets.
But mine: one from my teacher, one from her belongings.
To carry both, I had them made into earrings.
These prayer beads infused with my teacher's prayers and miracles offer more protection than any average talisman just by wearing them.
Now, the final one.
How far the system accommodates this demand will determine my view of it.
[Third demand: Modifying the details of "Sword Heart Path"!]
[Most details modified as per demand.]
[Estimated based on trait "Conditional Sword Saint."]
[...!]
[...!!!]
[Details too similar to "Conditional Sword Saint"!]
Of course.
'I based it directly on that one.'
The differences? The name points to Sword Heart, so the focus is on that, plus a harsher penalty for balance.
Nothing else.
So why not focus solely on me when dealing with me?
'Whatever kept you distracted from me.'
The board was already set in my favor.
All that remained was holding it to the max.
[An unknown someone gasps at your demand. Protests it's an unfair deal!]
[However, causality confirms proper balance.]
[Unknown someone doubts eyes upon seeing harsh penalty.]
[Unknown someone bewilderedly states you're the only one in the universe wagering such horrific torture and life as collateral.]
Is that so strange?
My penalty isn't that long.
After using trait "Sword Heart Path," wounds inflict 10x pain henceforth. Each use brings you closer to death; upon exhausting stamina, energy, and life force entirely.
Your afterlife becomes collateral for self-inflicted torments.
Pouring honey on wounds for bugs to devour.
Nailing to a cross and hanging.
Tearing limbs asunder.
Striking the neck with a dull blade, dying slowly over multiple blows, etc.
I planned to apply the worst torments I knew, step by step.
'All while feeling 10x the pain, of course.'
...Looking at it now.
It does seem like a masochist's demand.
But I have no such tendencies.
The system, having hijacked my status window, knew that too.
It couldn't frown at the penalty's lack of respect for the dead and had to nod.
To someone prepared for such a gruesome end and inscribing it in a contract, objections were pointless. Knowing this well, it sealed the deal.
[Unknown someone accepts third demand.]
[Trait "Sword Heart Path" fully revamped!]
[Time until completion: 9 min 59 sec]
[Time until completion: 9 min 58 sec]
...
[All contracts conclude in 10 minutes.]
['Sword Saint's Remnants' in your body vanish in 10 minutes too.]
10 minutes left to swing my sword.
After, no more sword aura, and my adrenaline-fueled body sinks into pain.
Combat incapacity, probably.
"Let's end this quick."
No reason to dawdle anymore.
Having decided to speed up.
I folded space and ran, ignoring knee and ankle wounds.
Fleet Step
Space folds upon space.
A single stride across it.
Then, I spotted the knights' remnants rallying amid the collapsed mansion.
Survivors in heavy armor and swords, so.
They had decent skill.
In this world's terms, Experts.
Knight Experts gathered.
"There! The black monster's coming!!"
"Swing your swords, all of you. Defense or preparation is futile. Didn't you see the mansion just crumble? Unleash desperate strikes with death in mind!!"
"...I can't fathom why talents like you cling so to knight-lord bonds."
"No need to understand, Black Fox of the South! We swore loyalty to the one who brought spring to this frozen land, even if the North falls."
"...Risking lives for that?"
"To us, spring is dearer than life!"
Having sped up.
I planned to brush past their rally, but their sword aura-clad fervor warped space faintly.
To not slow, I had to kill them and proceed.
'Such a pity.'
In my world, such talent.
I could've made heroes devoting to greater causes, not petty loyalty.
Sacrifice for a mere lord vs. a hero.
Everyone knows which resonates more.
Regretfully, I slowed slightly.
Delayed one step.
Screeech!
Foot dragged on ground.
Friction slowed me; strain on ankle.
As my frail leg twisted.
Thud.
I dropped my hips, drew my sword from waist, and swung wide.
Lowered stance for balance.
Torso twist loaded power into blade.
Shing!
Sword gleamed with pure white aura.
Starlight-laced aura slashed the scene top to bottom with the blade.
One motion.
Slash
Hundreds beheaded.
The instant I swung.
Aura cleaved the world in two.
Top and bottom.
Knights' waists severed helplessly; debris behind split too.
Thud thud.
Torsos hit ground.
Flooded with blood and guts.
I opened my mouth casually amid the gruesome scene.
"Wanna... try some livers in bulk?"
Asking me?
"I recall the myth foxes like livers."
Hm, chewing human flesh isn't my taste.
"Oh well."
Can't let them rot.
"Gotta burn 'em."
Next time, try intestines.
As if utterly unfazed.
Snap!
Flicked fingers; flames erupted like lightning.
Fire consumed corpses to ash in seconds, scattering on the cold north wind.
Tedious work.
Burn everything from now on.
Young master! I like livers though?!
"Wasn't serious."
Still a waste...
"I'll buy liver and blood sausage at a street food joint later. You two eat together."
A joke to lighten the mood.
But no one took it as one.
Whatever, almost there anyway.
No need for mood lightening.
'Really close now.'
Viscount's presence nearby.
Direction: below.
Could drill with sword like a bore.
But no confidence in aftermath, so dashed forward.
Mansion debris blocked path.
Then, like the corpses: shatter and burn.
Piercing Crimson One
Originally for spear gifted by old master who taught me spearmanship, piercing-focused.
I formed a flame spear and bored through.
Path engulfed in fire.
Debris be damned.
Like piercing foes' torsos.
Thus, found underground path.
Huge bronze door on floor.
Locked.
Hurled flame spear hard.
Long straight javelin.
Hit lock squarely; burned but.
Simultaneously blasted door with pressure.
Kaboomboomboom!!!
Metal roar echoed.
Door forced open revealed endless stairs down and guarding armored knights.
Killed so many, still more.
Amazed at this harsh land's knightly timber.
But kill more, done.
Casually formed flame spears.
Straight to underground.
Stab! Stab! Stab!
Spear to gut; knights incinerated before last words.
About 30 down.
One finally blocked my spear with shield and sword.
But not knight captain Termiya's caliber.
Shield and sword heated red-hot, dropped; gasping.
One block, and this state.
"Regrettable again. As a martial artist, not knight, your talent could've countered after blocking."
"Wh-who are you? Why spill so much blood here?!"
"Your lord's guest."
Or assassin, in other words.
Bit flashy for one, though.
No witnesses, it's assassination.
Didn't sweat it.
"Y-you're here for the kids, right?! Yeah! That's it!"
"...What?"
Kids?
Students maybe.
'Their presences were all in the city center.'
Who did he mean?
The gasping knight spilled without prompting, desperate to live.
"We grabbed beggar kids amid the chaos, right? Why else come here?!"
"Kidnapped street urchins?"
"...Didn't know? Then surely not him...!"
Slash!
No time to delay; speared his neck.
Flame cauterized wound instantly, staunching blood. No saving decapitation, but no messy drip.
Killed without hesitation, descended further.
Killed 10 more knights en route.
Finally reached underground cavern.
Space vast beyond belief for underground.
'Viscount somewhere in this expanse... and urchins too.'
Seemed true.
Too vast for easy spot with purple demon eyes, but detected one viscount-like presence and many small ones.
"...Burn it all?"
Easiest way.
Deep space, fire eats oxygen fastperfect asphyxiation.
But...
'Kids die too.'
I pondered.
Legs that never hesitated before any obstacle finally stopped.
This world perished long ago.
Knights and kids seeming alive are hologram-like. Even if they feel or bleed.
Fundamentally different from us.
Already dead.
Just one more step.
One step saves countless lives.
Didn't I slaughter knights and collapse mansion for that?
Yet.
'What do I really want?'
My feet wouldn't budge.
Driving me mad.